"The Art of Fielding" with Chad Harbach, Printers Row Journal members and readers

James Janega

When Chad Harbach, author of "The Art of Fielding" took the stage at our Printers Row Live! author conversation Monday night, readers wanted to know how he wrote, how success has felt after his years writing "Fielding" -- and what he might write next.

Nearly 300 people attended the event, a conversation between Harbach, Tribune columnist Rick Kogan and Literary Editor Elizabeth Taylor and hosted at the Latin School of Chicago.

Most of the attendees had read the book, many had come with members of book clubs, and still more were members of Printers Row Journal who visited with Harbach at a reception before the event began.

One trio at the reception were Mariam Paul, Rose McGowan and Mary Cavalier of the Kenilworth Fireside Book Club. "The Art of Fielding" was the group's read for Tuesday night's meeting; on Monday, they were discussing it with Harbach over cheese and crudités.

As Harbach, Taylor and Kogan took the stage in Latin's intimate theater, the conversation felt like it was already underway.

Funny, cuttingly matter-of-fact and self-effacing, Harbach discussed growing up in Racine and how he decided to set "Fielding" in Wisconsin because, he'd "know it best," even after years out East. he talked about his early childhood in Montessori and Catholic schools, and burning through series of novels until he pursued baseball as a teen.

He went away to school (Harvard) because that was the epitome of the faraway college settings he'd seen in movies. ("Fielding's" character Henry from South Dakota felt as out-of-place in Wisconsin as Harbach of Racine felt at Harvard.) Harbach thought he'd study math there; instead, he pursued English. Among other things since college, he's worked with a small group on their literary magazine n+1.

Readers asked about Harbach's writing process:

-- About which passages was he still insecure? Harbach replied that he had been unsure how to organize the opening and first 100 pages. His editor provided most of his suggestions here, and the droll revelation for Harbach was "Why not do it in chronological order?"

-- After 10 years of writing "Fielding," how did he know when it was done? Harbach said he finally pushed to the last scene and then sent it away to agents and eventual editing. When one agent bit and his editor sent suggestions, Harbach spent his favorite five months on the project rewriting and rereading relevant parts. It was "wonderfully fun. I just repeatedly felt, yes, you got that part. I got this sense of satisfaction."

-- How has the money from the book's success affected you? Harbach has quit his day job. He's travelling to promote the book. Now that it's going into translations, he's contemplating overseas trips. How has it affected his real life? He'll know when the pace drops off and he starts his next book.

-- Next book? Harbach demurred. It could be this one thing he has in mind or, likely, something "totally opposite" by the time he gets to it. Let alone finishes it.-- Are literary competitions useful? Yes, when they sell books, and the bigger prizes do, Harbach said.

-- What do YOU, Chard Harbach, think "Fielding" is about? The ways in which we put obstacles in fornt of ourselves and others close to us.

-- Finally, one audience member said her book club was puzzled by a SPOLER REDACTED. Could Harbach explain that?"No!" Harbach shouted, to laughter. "Maybe later, privately."